Light Bites Recipes - Crispy Shanghai Spring Rolls Recipe

Ingredients

• 12 spring roll wrappers

• 30ml/2 tbsp plain (all-purpose) flour mixed to a paste with water

• sunflower oil, for deep-frying

For the filling:

• 6 Chinese dried mushrooms, soaked for 30 minutes in warm water

• 150g/5oz fresh firm tofu

• 30ml/2 tbsp sunflower oil

• 225g/8oz minced (ground) pork

• 225g/8oz peeled cooked prawns (shrimp), roughly chopped                    

• 2.5ml/1/2 tsp corn flour (cornstarch), mixed to a paste with

• 15ml/1 tbsp soy sauce

• 75g/3oz each shredded bamboo shoot or grated carrot, sliced water chestnuts and bean sprouts

• 6 spring onions (scallions) or 1 young leek, finely chopped

• a little sesame oil

Makes 12

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Method:

1. Make the filling. Drain the mushrooms. Cut off and discard the stems and slice the caps finely. Slice the tofu.

2. Heat the oil in a wok and stir-fry the pork for 2-3 minutes or until the color changes. Add the prawns, corn flour paste and bamboo shoot or carrot. Stir in the water chestnuts.

3. Increase the heat, add the bean sprouts and spring onions or leek and toss for 1 minute. Stir in the mushrooms and tofu. Season, then stir in the sesame oil. Cool quickly on a platter.

4. Separate the spring roll wrappers. Place a wrapper on the work surface with one corner nearest you. Spoon some of the filling near the centre of the wrapper and fold the nearest corner over the filling.

5. Smear a little of the flour paste on the free sides, turn the sides to the middle and roll up. Repeat this procedure with the remaining wrappers and filling.

6. Deep-fry the spring rolls in batches until they are crisp and golden. Drain and serve at once with a dipping sauce.

Note: Crunchy on the outside, succulent in the centre, these are irresistible.